Thermostatically-controlled mechanism



May 22, 1928. 1,670,746

0. C. SCHROEDER THERMOSTATIGALLY CONTROLLED MECHANISM Original FiledNov. 19, 1924 5 h s-Sheet 1 May 22, 1928'. 1,670,746

' O. C. SCHROEDER THERMOSTATiCALLY CONTROLLED MECHANISM ori inal FiledNov. 19, 1924 5 sheets-Sheet 2 May 22,1928. 1,670,746 0. C. SCHROEDER vTHERMOSTATI CALLY CONTROLLED MEGHANI S M Origi-nai Filed Nov; 19. 1924 5Sheets-Sheet 3 0s car (fie/3706459 Patented May 22, 1928.

OSCAR C. SCHROEDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

rsannnros'rA'rIcALLY-coivrnoL En MECHANISM.

Original application filed November 19, 1924, Serial No. 750,851.

December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,798.

My invention relates, more particularly, to thermostatically controlledelectrical mechanism, it having been devised for embodiment, moreparticularly,

necessarily, in burner structures, the present application being adivision of my pending application Serial No. 750,851, filed November19, 1924.

' y primary objects are to provide a novel,

simple, economical, and positively operating construction ofthermostatically controlled mechanism; to provide for the automaticarresting of the flow of fuel tothe'burner, in case the pilot lightthereof becomes ex tinguished, thereby preventing flooding, and

other objects as will be manifest from the following description:

I have chosen to illustrate my invention as embodied in an oil burnerstructure, involving as an element thereof, a power device 'throu h themedium of which the supplying 0 the fuel to the burner is controlled,the fuel in this instance being oil and the power device an electricmotor, a descrip- 2 tion of the accompanying drawings being as follows:a

Figure 1 is a View in elevation, partly sectional, of anoil burnerembodying my improved thermostatically-controlled switch 30 mechanism.Figure 2 is an enlarged view in vertical sectional elevation ofmyimproved thermostatically-controlled switch mechanism operating inconnection with the pilot light for a burner, the parts being shown in aposition in which the supplying of fuel to the burner is arrested, andthe section being takenat the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in thedirection of the arrow. Figure? is a fragmentary view, like Fig. 2, of aportion of the structure shown therein, the parts he ing shown in theposition they assumewhen the pilot light is burning and fuel is beingsupplied to the main burner. Figure 4 is a View in elevation of a detailof the switch mechanism forming a part of the structure.

' Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken at the line 5 on Fig.. 3 andviewed in the direction of the arrow; and Figure 6, a view in sideelevation of they portion of the structure shown in Fig. 3, viewing itfrom a position normal to that from which Fig. 3 is viewed.

Referring to the particular, illustrated, in-

y stallation in connection with which my improved thermostatic mechanismis employed,

65 the burner proper is represented at 7, the

though not shown.

burner shown, which is of a type well known in the art, employing oil asthe fuel, the supplying of which to the outlet of .the burner, from anysuitable source thereof through a pipe 8 is controlled by an electricmotor 9.

Located adjacent the burner structure referred-to is a pilot lightstructure for igniting the fuel issuing from the burner, this pilotlight structure being represented generally at 10' and shown asinvolving a tubular member 11 carried by the main body of the burnerstructure and surmounted by a hollow cap 12 containing a centrallydisposed opening in its cap and a gas outlet tube 14 commumcating at itslower end with a gas passage 15 located in the upper portion of aDivided and this application filed hollow supporting housing member 16shown as connected with the tubular member 11 by screws '17 and engagingan upright post 18 rising from a stationary pan member 19 supportedon,the posts 20 of the burner structure. The passage 15 communicateswitha pipe 21 which leads to any suitable source of gas supply, as, forexample, ,the ordinary service-supply pipe. The tube 14 extendscentrally of-the tubular member 11 and part way upwardly into the latteras When the gas flowing from the tube 19 is ignited a flame is producedwhich iscaused to become contacted by the fuel issuing from the burner 7for igniting the fuel which thereafter burns at the burner 7 until themotor 9 is stopped. The starting and stopping of the motor 9, for thepurpose above stated, is controlled through the medium of a switchrepresented generally at 22 and controlled by thermostatic mechanismco-operating with the pilot light.

The switch device illustrated, and which as to its general features isof a well-known type, comprises an air-tight glass tube 23 located inthe housing 16 and partially filled with a current-conducting fluid asfor example mercury, represented at 24. Thetube 23 contains in its upperwall,adjacent one end, two electrical contacts 25 and 26 which areinsulated from each other and sealed in the tube, these contacts beingconnected, respectively, with current conducting wires 27 and 28 leadingfrom the fixed sections 29 and 30, respectively, of plug-in switchespositioned in the housing 16, a wire 31 leading directly from thesection 29 to the section 30. The removable portions of these plugs arerepresented as 32 and 33, respectively, the section 32 beiiig connectedwith the wires 34 and 35 leading from the source of electric current,and the section 33 containing the wires (not shown) which connect withthe terminals of the motor 9. 4

The tube 23 is mounted in a clip device 36 presenting spring arms 37,38, 39 and 40, W at its ends and sides which yieldingly .em-

brace the tube 23 and form a support for thelatter, the arm 38containing a slot 41 to receive the sealing tip 42 of the tube 23. Thesupporting clip 36 is supported on the lower,

l5 inturned, ends 43 and 44 of yokes 45 and 46 forming the lower ends oflevers 47 and 48, respectively, fulcrumed between their ends, asrepresented at 49 and 50, respectively, on lugs 51 and 52 provided onthe member 16. The connections between the yokes 45 and 46 and the clipare pivotal, as represented at 53 and 54, respectively, theseconnections being at outwardly and downwardly turned arms 55 provided onthe clip at op-e posite sides thereof, the levers 47 and 48 being soproportioned and arranged, as

shown that the pivots 53 and 54 extend in different horizontal planesand in one position of the parts, namely, that shown in Fig. 2 whereinthe tube 23 inclines downwardly to the left and the mercury 24 is out ofengagement with the contacts and 26, the lower pivot 53 extends to theright of the vertical plane occupied by the pivot 54, and when inanother position, namely, that shown in Fig. 3 in which the tube 23inclines downwardly to' the right and the mercury is in engagement withthe contacts 25 and 26, the pivot 53 extends to the left of suchvertical plane. The position occupied by the tube 23, and whichdetermines the making or breaking of the circuit for the ,motor 9, thusdepends upon the position to which the levers 47 and 48 are ;5 rocked ontheir pivotal supports.

Co-operating with the levers 47 and 48 and controlling the positionthereof, are

. thermostatic bars 56-QVh1Cl1 are secured at their lower ends to thestructure 16 and ex- 5 tend upwardly alongside of the gas outlet pipe 14and upwardly through a tube 57 supported on the member 16- and forming amixing chamber. The upper ends of' "the bars 56 are provided withoutturned portions extending above the tube 57 and containing apertures59 through which upwardly extending pins 60 provided on the extremeupper ends-of the levers 47 and 48loosely extend. The bars 56 are eachformed of 3 strips 61 and '62 of metal having different coefiicients ofexpansion, the material of which strips 61 are composed having alowercoefiicient of expansion than the material composing the strips 62. Theparts just.

55 described are so constructed and arranged that when the bars 56 aresubjected to the heat of the flame atthe pilot burner, they will assumethe outwardly deflected position represented in Fig. 3, duev to thedistorting effect on these bars produced by the unequal expansion of thestrips 61 and 62 of which they are formed, and the levers 47 and 48 willassume the position shown in this figure, in which position the tube 23inclines downwardly to the right in this figure and the mercury 24 isinengagement with the contacts 25 and 26, the bars 56 remaining the bars56 quickly return to the position shown in Fig. 2, therebyrocking thelevers 47 and 48 to the position shown in this figure,with the result ofrocking the tube 23 to a position in which it inclines downwardly totheleft and the mercury .flows out of engagement with the contacts 45 and46.

The operation of the structure shown is as follows:

Assuming that the parts of the structure are in the position shown inFigs. land 2, in which the switch of which the tube 23 is a part, isopen and consequentlyno fuel is being supplied to the burnef'7, theoperator starts the burner by opening the pilot tube- 14 to the supplyof gas furnished through the pipe 21, as by opening a valve (not shown)interposed in the gas line and igniting the gas at this tube, wherebythe bars 56 become heated and rock the levers 47 and 48 to the positionshown in Fig. 3, which results in the closing of the switch controllingthe motor 9, which latter thereupon starts into operation and suppliescombustible fuel to the burner 7 which is ignited by the flame at thepilot light. Should the pilot light become extinguished the thermostaticbars 56, upon losingtheir heat, swing inwardly toward each other androck the levers 47 and 48 to theposition shown in Fig. 2 in whichposition the switch controlled thereby is open. It will, therefore, benoted that provision is made for auto-'1 matically discontinuing thesupply of fuel to the burner 7 should the pilot light become extinuished, and thus danger of.

as described, the mechanism is caused to be capable of very quick actionand is rendered very responsive in action. Furthermore, the dev cepresents practically no time lag, so

that practically as soon as the pilot light becomes extinguished, thecontrolling cir-' cuit for the motor 9 is opened.

While I have illustrated and described a particular constructionembodying my inmechanism, the combination of vention, I do not wish tobe understood as intending to limit it thereto, as the same may bevariously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination of aswitch device having a rocking current-controlling element, lever meansoperatively engaging and supporting .saidelement and operating, whenrocked, to control the conditioning of said switch device, and athermostatic element controlling the position of said lever means.

' 2. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination ofa switch device havlng a rocking current-controlling element, leversseparate from and each operatively engaging said element and constructedand'arranged to rock said element when said levers are rocked, and athermostatic element separate from said levers and con trolling theposition of said levers.

3. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination of aswitch device having a rockin current-controlling element, leversoperatlvely engaging said element and by which said device is supported,said levers being constructed and arrangedto rock said element when saidlevers are rocked, and a thermostatic element controlling the positionof said levers.

4. In thermostatically controlled switch a holder, a contact-equippedreceptacle on said holder, a gravity-actuated body in said receptaclefor controlling the flow of current depending upon the'position of thereceptacle, and thermostatically controlled means for actuating saidholder comprising levers separate from, and each pivotally connectedwith and supporting, said element and constructed and arranged to rocksaid -element'when said levers are rocked.

5. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination of aswitch device having a rockin current-controlling element, lever-shavingeflected end portions offset relative to each other and at which theyare pivoted to said element and support the latter, and a thermostaticelement controlling the positionof said levers.

6. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination'of aholder, a contact-equipped receptacle in said holder, a gravity-actuatedbody in said in said receptacle for controlling the flow of currentdepending on the position of the receptacle, levers supporting saidholder and constructed and arranged to rock said holder when said leversare rocked, and a thermostatic element controlling the position of saidlevers. 7. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, thecombination of a switch device having a rocking current-controllingelement, levers having deflected end portions ofl'set relative to eachotherand at which they are pivoted to said element, and a thermostaticelement separate from said levers and controlling the position of saidlevers.

.8. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination ofa holder, a

contact-equipped receptacle in said holder,

a gravity-actuated body for controlling the flow on the position of thelevers having deflected end portions offset relative to each other andat which they are pivoted to said holder, and thermostatic in saidreceptacle of current depending receptacle, a pair of bars engaging saidlevers and controlling structed and arranged to rock said element whensaid levers are rocked, and a thermostatic element having portionsengaging both of said levers for controlling the position of saidlevers.

10. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination ofa switch device having a rocking current-controlling element, andthermostatically controlled means for actuating said element comprisinglever means operatively engaging and supporting said element andoperating when rocked to control the condition of said switch device.

11. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination ofa switch device having a rocking current-controlling element, andthermostatically controlled means for actuating said element comprisinglevers separate from, and each pivotally connected with and supporting,said element and constructed and arranged to rock said element when saidlevers are rocked.

12. In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination ofa switch device having a rocking current-controlling in the samedirection with ends thereof deflected and offset relative to each other,said levers being pivotally connected at said defiected ends with saidelement the parts being so constructed and arranged that said levers areadapted, in their operation, to move at their pivotal connections withsaid element alternately to opposite sides of the median line of saidset of levers.

14. 'In thermostatically controlled switch mechanism, the combination ofa switch device having a rocking current-controlling of said leversremote from said deflected portions of the latter.

OSCAR o. SCHROEDER.

flected ends at which they engage the ends

